


Wild In The Castle

by TheArchitectOfStars



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Eventual Smut, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 16:16:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 19,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29529051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheArchitectOfStars/pseuds/TheArchitectOfStars
Summary: Marlowe Pucey is already having an interesting year at Hogwarts and she hasn't even arrived at the castle yet. First, she gets kicked off the Slytherin quidditch team and then finds her boyfriend with some other girl on his arm, so naturally, she punches him. On the first day of school, she already has a month of detention and is raced to the hospital wing by George Weasley who becomes protective of the emotional and heartbroken snake.With the Tri-Wizard tournament coming up, Marlowe must watch her ex fall for another girl, figure out the reason her twin brother Adrian is avoiding her, and hang with George who needs someone to pull pranks with while Fred hangs with his new girl. Now they must work together to look less lonely and maybe pull a prank or two.
Relationships: George Weasley/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 3





	1. Worst Day Ever

Do you ever just wake up and feel like everything is **PERFECT**. Like the weather is perfect, your aura feels cleansed and you can only see the beauty in everything around you. Well, that's how I feel waking up on the Hogwarts Express.  
  
Every train ride since the first year, my twin brother Adrian and I have sat with our best friends in the same cart as we ride to and from Hogwarts. Every year I fall asleep and I always wake up to my idiotic brother and the troll of Marcus Flint acting up. As years go on the friend group gets bigger and changes a bit but this year was a first. This year my Slytherin family has allowed my boyfriend Cedric Diggory to ride in our cart with us. Waking up on his lap was wonderful as long as I ignore Marcus' ignorant remarks across from me. After taking a moment to sit up with my elbows on the table and take in my gorgeous lover talking to Draco about the Quidditch Cup and how amazing the game was. After soaking up the scene, I finally turn to accept the horrific words being traded between my brother and Marcus.  
  
With spit flying through his troll teeth Marcus went on and on. "Well, maybe we could a game this year if your annoying sister could actually practice flying on a broom and actually be a good keeper."  
  
"Marlowe practiced with Cedric over the summer but I don't think he was even able to help her cause that girl has more cuts and bruises than actual skin," Adrian chuckled to Marcus.  
  
Sliding my foot high enough to my hand, I grab my shoe to throw at the babbling idiots who haven't even realized that I can hear them. As I prepare my throw with my arm going back, Ced grabs my wrist. With his sweet and calming voice, he looks down into my eyes and diverts my attention."My Darling, would you like to go change into your uniform, I was about to get up to grab a treat from the trolley so I'd be happy to walk with you."  
  
Before I can even answer, he grabs my shoe from my hand and slides it back onto my foot as if we were in a fairytale. While he stands to grab my robes for me to change into, I quickly look at Draco whose grey eyes switch between me and Cedric with slight worry and distress. I make a mental note to talk to Draco about this later as I stand and grab Ceds warm hand pulling him towards the changing rooms. The changing rooms seem to be calm since it's a little early to start changing with about an hour left of our train ride.  
  
"Hey Mari, I'll be back in just a moment, want anything from the trolley?" Ced asks holding the door to the changing room open for me.  
  
"I'm fine, thanks though." I stand on my tiptoes to kiss Ceds cheek and close the door. As much as I love and appreciate Cedric over the 2 months of dating, I sense that something in his demeanor has changed. Letting go of my worries, I reach above my head to turn on the compartment light only to find that pulling the sting doesn't help. I reach to my pockets only to find my wand absent, tearing my clothes from the bag brings the realization that I left my wand at the table in my jacket that I had used as a blanket during my nap. "Maybe Ced will stand in here and cast the spell for me," I thought as I stripped my turtle neck off. As I started to unbuckle my pants, a knock bounced off my changing room door. I open the door expecting to find Cedric standing there but it's just Draco.  
  
"Marlowe, we need to talk, please, it's very important." He tried to push himself in, accidently poking me with a wand, but I closed the door so only my face could be seen. Even though I've known Draco his whole life and sure we've changed in front of each other before, that was before I had breast. His slender arms jump to push the door against me, but I hold my ground.  
  
"Can we talk later, if you couldn't tell I'm trying to change into my robes. We can talk back at the table or in the dormitory after dinner." I rushed the words and tried to close the door all the way but his foot jumped into the doorway and stopped me from cutting the space between us.  
  
"Please, it's very important, its abo-" Draco tried to whisper but was cut off by Cedric stepping between Draco and the door.  
"Hey, Cedric..., I was just bringing Marlowe her wand that she left at the table." Draco smiled as Cedric reached out and took the wand for me and pulled the door open, just enough for him to walk in.

"Thanks, Malfoy, we will see you in just a moment, Marlowe and I are going to just change real quick and then you can talk to her." He smiled and pulled the door closed ending their conversation. He turned to me and put my wand in the bag at our feet. "Can that fourth-year make it anymore obvious of his feelings for you?" Cedric laughed pulling his shirt off to show his toned abs.

"He doesn't have feelings for me, he just wants to talk to me about something, most likely to deal with quidditch. Now can I please change or are you gonna ask that I don't put on my Slytherin gear again?" I whispered in his ear, having to be quiet to keep the people in the hall from knowing theres 2 people in here.  
  
Standing this close to Cedric was a bit bold. I could feel his breaths coating my body and raising goosebumps across my neck. I leaned against the wall to create more space between us but this gave me a better view of his body, the gorgeous view woke something in me, hunger started to dwell.  
  
Looking over his chest and his hand moving down to undo the button on his pants, my eyes jump up to his and the room grows warmer. We stare into each other's eyes as a hunger grew in my stomach craving him, craving his body. After a few months together I knew this look and the fun that came with it. His eyes finally leave mine as they start to loom down my chest, taking his time and soaking up the view of my lace bra and unbuckled pants that I begin bulling off to expose my underwear. His hand slowly reaches for mine as he pulls me in, landing his sweet lips on my neck, lightly biting and claiming his findings on my body. His touch was soft yet demanding, his lips dance across my neck and jaw as my breath starts to hick and my moans of praise escape me as my body is pushed against the wall. His feet trip on the bag on the floor but he kicks it out of the way as his arms push the remaining pants off my legs.  
  
My hands fly up to grab a handful of him as I trace his hair patterns with my nails, pulling tight here and there across his thick curls as he causes me to moan louder. His hand shoots up to cover my mouth and his lips take a break from claiming my collarbone as he whispers a warning, "Marlowe darling, we must be quiet or else we may get caught." The humor from his warning left me with a mission of how much can we get away with. His words only made me want this more and my hands shot to pull his trousers undone and down as far as I could reach before his lips attacked mine. With our lips now reunited, my hunger grows more. Cedrics hands land on my thighs as he pulls my body up, supporting my butt with the other. The hand pulling my thong off, ripping the fabric off with haste as he pushes his warm fingers into my entrance. With no warning and the wall and him being my only support, I tie my legs around his waist, wanting, no...needing to be closer to him. His fingers move in and out of my body, forming shapes as they leave and return, only causing me to become wetter with each movement of his fingers, leaving me with a sense of lust and heat across my body and his lips barely left mine as a reminder to stay quiet. With his fingers still working their magic inside me I break one of my hands out from his thick hair and laid it across his jaw, pulling his mouth from mine. "Cedi baby, I need you, I crave you inside me," I begged into his face, letting my breath coax him into my desires.  
  
Before he could respond, I pulled his mouth back to mine and moved my hand down into his briefs, taking his member and rubbing what I could reach with our bodies like this. With the sudden rush between our bodies, he set my legs down, still holding tight till my feet were on the ground, and turned me to the wall. Before I could even blink, be pushed my hands onto the wall above my head and pulled my ass out towards him. All I could feel was his dick lining up with my heat as he thrust himself inside me with no warning stretching me in all the right ways, giving me the pain he knows I want. I put my arm up to my mouth to bite on in hopes of muffling my screams of lust and delight. The small room starts to smell of our sweat and our sounds of enjoyment start to grow, becoming almost too loud for the room to keep hidden. Just as Cedric starts to get the right angle, pounding me and getting the perfect spot; a knocking on the door breaks through our enjoyment. We choose to ignore the sounds as Ced shortened his thrusts, pushing me closer into the outside wall and makes it harder for me to keep these enjoyments to myself as the only sound of the room is his skin slapping against mine mixing with moans of hunger, getting me closer to a sweet release. A natural high comes over my body... only it only could be felt within me, but not my own as Cedric quickly exits me and another knock could be heard on the door.  
  
A muffled voice broke through after the knock, "Is anyone in there?"  
  
Cedric quickly throws on his button-up and pulls up his underwear as I push my naked and now leaking body against the wall to hide behind the door. His fake happy-go-lucky voice opens the door with a sarcastic "Can I help you?"  
  
"Oh sorry," the embarrassed voice, sounding like a Weasley twin, stepped back and must have gone into a different changing room. Cedric pulled the door close and scrambled to throw on his clothes.  
  
"Ced- why are you rushing, we arent going to get cau-" Cedric closed the door on my words leaving me in the darkroom, naked and alone. I quickly threw on my robes and grabbing my bag, opened the door to the now cold dressing room to find a Weasley twin.  
  
"Is that room, open?" He laughed, most likely from watching Cedric run out a few moments earlier.  
  
"Shut it, Weasley, you must be confused." Pushing past the ginger, I hear a slight laugh as I bump his shoulder heading to the mirror in the hallway. Looking at my reflection I notice that my once perfect curls are now all over the place, so much for that hair spell. I shake my dark hair behind me as I pull it into sections to quickly braid it into a plat. I finish the plat as I walk back to my cabin and plop down across from Draco who has a look of worry plastered across his face.  
  
"Wheres Cedric, Pucey?" Marcus ordered looking my way.  
  
"I thought he would've been back here already but he might have gone to talk to some of his friends instead of you bloody arses." My sexual frustration came out as I barked at the troll across from me.  
  
"Adrian, what the hell did your sister just call me." Marcus barked, standing up as Draco reached out to hold him back.  
  
While Draco held back the ugly troll, Adrian jumped over the table and grabbed my arm to pull me out of our seats. I tried to fight him but his grip was stronger than mine as he pulled me into a different train cart. "Marlowe, we really need to talk, it's important." He whispered to me, looking around to make sure no one can hear our conversation. With a big rush of students passing us, my brother pulls my arm once more into a seemingly empty doorway next to a train exit. He once again looks around to check if the coast is clear. Once he's sure we are safe from listening ears, he turns to look out the door window. "I need to talk to you and it's very important, it's about Marcus and Quidditch."  
  
I look at my brother's reflection hoping for some hint of what he's gonna say. His normally calm facial expression is now replaced with tight lips and anger-filled eyes. His eyebrows seem to twitch a little which only happens when he is upset, looking down at his hand as it finally leaves my wrist, his knuckles turn white with anger being carried in his fists. "Adrian," I turn fully towards the window but my eyes return to his reflection to watch him, "Is this what Draco was trying to talk to me about earlier?"  
  
"I don't know what Draco wanted to talk to you about but you can ask him later. Marcus wanted me to talk to you."  
  
My eyes began to roll just at the thought of what Marcus could ever want to tell me let alone making my brother do the dirty work. "What does that troll want, because if he's trying to ask me out again my answer has not changed since 2nd year."  
  
"Actually it's-"  
  
"Does Marcus want me to stop fighting with him, cause it's his fault-"  
  
"STOP!" Adrian barked, I watched as his reflection in the window turned to me, and his voice sounded pained like he regrets being the sharer of bad news. He stayed silent as he turned to look back at the window, trying to find confidence in the scenery. "Marcus is kicking you off the team..."  
  
"He's what! He can't kick me off the team, I've spent the whole summer practicing." My heart started pounding in my throat and my hand got clammy. I turned away from my brother and leaned my back against the shaking door.  
  
"Draco and I found out last week but I thought that at practice he would change his mind after seeing how good you've gotten. You have always been a fast flyer and a great beater but you just get so focused on the game that you forget what's going on around you. Last year you hit the bludger towards Marcus' broom sending him almost falling to his death."  
  
"I flew over and caught him, though. The guy is perfectly fine and is just being a bloody child about everything."  
  
"Actually I have to agree with Marcus, you were supposed to stay with the team at Malfoy Manor this past month for practice but you kept leaving every day to go see Cedric instead of practicing with the rest of us. When you were there, it was for the nightly parties and firewhisky as you went on and on about Cedric."  
  
My blood started to boil at the words I was hearing. As mad as I was at Adrian for keeping these things to himself instead of communicating with me, I was more furious with Marcus for being a little wanker and having my brother talk to me. "If that's how he feels, fine. I'm gonna find Cedric." As I stormed off I could hear my brother calling out to me but once I stepped into the crowd of students preparing to get off the train, I was able to ignore his voice.  
  
Weaving around the sea of students, I ran into Draco holding my stuff for me, with a weak smile as if he's unsure of what info I had just received. "Here you go Mari, I grabbed your stuff for you so you wouldn't have to deal with that arse Fli-"  
  
I furiously grabbed my trunk from Draco's hand but kept walking past him. "Oh fuck of Malfoy, I'm gonna go find Cedric."  
  
Draco grabbed my hand and kept me from escaping."Mari, I really need to talk to you and it can't wait."  
  
"Draco, can we talk about this later in the dorm tonight, go find Blaise while I find Cedric. I really need Cedric right now and don't think we have to talk about this whole quidditch thing later."

"What thing about quidditch. This is about Cedric, he's c-"  
  
Dracos' words cut off from my hearing when I saw Cedric outside on the platform, walking with Cho hanging on his arm. She fixed his messy hair and leaned in for a kiss...he looks surprised but kisses her back. Fury takes over my body, mixing with my boiling blood and adrenaline takes over. I push past the students in my way and make my way to Diggory, and tap on his shoulder. Once He turned around with his charming smile and comforting eyes that changed into horror, I threw my fist into his face. The world goes fuzzy but I can still feel my arms throwing themselves at his body. The tears feel warm as they run down my face.  
  
  
\----------------------  
  
  
There I sat, across from the bloody arse, bandages covering both Diggory and me as we sit in chairs across from one another with Snape and Sprout waiting for an explanation. I kept my eyes on the boy across from me, blood boiling just as I thought about punching his face some more. Cedric did anything but look at me, mostly keeping his eyes on his shoes.  
  
As the silence covered the air around us like a cloud of thick smog, snape decided to speak a few words, "Draco has been thoughtful enough to tell me what going on. Either one of you wants to admit why a fight started before being here for a full five minutes."  
  
Cedric finally ripped his eyes from his shoes for only a few moments, to look at my blood bandages hanging on my hands. "I believe that this whole mistake was my fault and I am willing to take whatever you both think is best as a punishment." Cedrics' eyes looked up to Snape and Sprouts who only turned to look at me fuming, as I felt my face grow red with anger.  
  
I jumped to my feet and screamed full force at the pathetic excuse of a guy across from me."How dare you still try and act like a perfect human being. You cheated on me, you wasted my time when I could have been practicing with my team. YOU ARE THE REASON I WAS KICKED OFF THE TEAM. Was I just a toy to you?" My screams bounced off the walls as I threw my awful day at him, echoing back onto my skin. The tears started back up, raining from my eyes as they dripped onto the bandages. I held back wiping the tears away, I needed to show that I was the one hurt, not him, I am the one who was hurt most, yet he is trying to act like the perfect angel.  
  
Before I could say anything else, Professor Sprouts pulled Snape to the side. Their whispers were hidden by my sobs. Once their conversation was done they turned back around and Spouts opened her mouth. "Cedric, you will be serving a week's detention with me and you must write me a 20 page paper on the healing properties of Mandrakes."  
  
Snape opened his mouth once more and looked in my direction, "Ms. Pucey, you will serve a month's detention cleaning up potion mistakes in my classroom." His order had a slight smirk that only I could see as if Snape knew I already did this once a week last year as an excuse for extra help. "Now Sprout will you please take Mr. Diggory to the Great Hall while I take Ms.Pucey to get her bandages changed."  
  
Sprouts nodded at snape and took Cedric out of the room. Once she closed the door, Snape pulled the chair that Cedric sat in just a moment ago and pulled it up near mine. Once he sat, he pulled a potion out of his pocket and handed it to me. "It's sleeping drought for you to take later tonight, it will also help with the healing of your knuckles. I will see you in detention starting next week."  
  
I looked up at Snape, his cold eyes looked mad yet sorry for me. "Snape, would you mind if I went straight to the dungeons, I'll get my hands rebandaged tomorrow, I am quite done with today and would like some quiet."  
  
Snape looked back at me and started towards the door, "If you need any more sleeping drought, you know where to find me." After snape left I looked around the familiar classroom and potion supplies. Being left alone in the potions classroom actually felt calm. This is the classroom that I always thrived and felt at home in, where I made new friends during my first year, where even snape with his snarky tone had complimented my talent in potions. As my anger slowly left me, I decided that I should probably leave in order to avoid other students and whatever rumors are going to start tomorrow if not already today about my fiasco.  
  
Walking down to the dungeons by myself was actually quite soothing. The thought of having the dungeon all to myself and I wouldn't have to run into anyone before bed eased the rest of my anger and sadness out of my head. Opening the door to my room sent a waterfall of emotions over me though. Seeing my bed all set up with all of my possessions laid out, my kneazle Hydra was playing on the empty bed across from mine. "I wonder where my roommate Lydia is?" I whispered to Hydra as I scratched behind his ears.  
  
Turning to sit on my bed, I found a letter on my pillow in a thin envelope with an "F" wax seal. Laying down and casting Lumos up the parchment.  


> Marlowe,  
>  Meet me at the Quidditch field at 5 am.  
>  Flint

"Incindo" I muttered under my breath, watching the letter disappear from between my fingers. I watched the flame dance hungrily across the paper, taking its time to eat the words away from existence. Once the letter was fully engulfed by flame I walked over to my closet to find some PJ's. After walking over to my bathroom, I threw my bloody uniform into the sink. Turning on the hot water in my shower, I looked in the mirror. I hadn't looked at any of my injuries besides my knuckles but in the mirror, I stared at the hollow person in front of me. My hair was a complete mess in its plait that I'm still surprised that I have a hairband in. My eyes looked dimmed with the trails of tear-stained cheeks below them. Turning around I jumped into the shower and lightly washed my skidded knees. The water falling on me brought awareness to my arms covered in bruises, most likely from Adrian and Draco having to pull me off of Cedric once I pinned him on the ground.

The pain that covered my body in bruises and scaps felt nothing to the emotional and heartbreaking day that I just had to endure. Stepping out of the shower, I avoided the mirror, I refused to take one more look at the pure example of pain. Slowly pulling on my Pj's I felt the desire to just cry it out. Once I laid down on my bed, Hydra jumped next to me and kissed my pre-tears away. A knock came from my door but I just put my head against the soft pillow, let the tears run free, and welcomed sleep like an old friend.

My last thought before going to sleep was about those days when you wake up and feel like it's going to be a perfect day. You feel like you have all the happiness you could ever need and you're ready to face whatever may happen...today was definitely not one of those days.  



	2. There's a Toll on the Quidditch Field

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marlowe leaves to meet with Flint in order to get back onto the quidditch team. Running into George, Marlowe makes a new ally unconsciously on thin ice.

The worst thing about waking up in pain is waking up in pain, with a broken heart and a cat licking the inside of your nostril. Finally lifting my head from my pillow I find Hydra turning his head left and right, studying me to see if I'm awake to give him food or deciding if I'm too asleep and in that case, he might try to bite my ear.  
"Lumos" my morning voice barked over and over until my wand met my fingers, lighting up the room so I can see where everything is. I turn to see my roommates' side completely empty still. While trying my best not to trip on Hydra who is meowing his head off, I find my alarm clock on the ground. I blink multiple times trying to focus on the small numbers, "5:03....5:03..." as I repeated the numbers while sleepily picking up and pouring Hydra's food, the time hit me. I need to meet Marcus at the field.  
  
Throwing on a random jumper and some random jeans, I race down the hall finding Adrian and Draco passed out on the leather sofas in front of the fireplace. The scent of firewhiskey fills the common room but I still continue my sprint all the way to the quidditch field. As I approach the green, I see a sliver of the sun just over the horizon, and yet I don't see Flint. I decide to check the locker rooms and once I walk in, a thick vapor fills my lungs. The mist feels like all 5 showers were turned onto the hottest water setting and let run for 30 minutes at the same time. Looking around, Flints' silhouette finally breaks through the mist as he stands next to his locker in only a towel.  
  
"Well look who finally decided to show up." He looked at me with lust-filled eyes, running his fingers through the mess he called hair, spiking it up.  
  
"Marcus, I'm here to talk about quidditch. Are you gonna let me back on the team or aren't you." Luckily I was able to keep a serious tone as I kept my eye contact, hoping he wouldn't come closer. Unfortunately, his eyes couldn't keep contact as they draped up and down my body while setting his stuff inside his cubby.  
  
"Marlowe, sweetie, you should be happy that I even let you on the team. You know of my rule that there are to be no females on the team, and I was nice enough to make an exception for you since our prior captain saw something in you." Flint turned back to his cubby and closed it quickly, causing me to jump. "You really should be thanking your brother and Draco who both begged me to keep you, seeing as you are a fast flier. I took their word but also looking at you, how can I say no to that body of yours, so how about we make a deal." Flint started walking towards me, looking me up and down like he was starving and I was the meal.  
  
"Stop where you are Flint. I can hear you just fine from there so tell me the deal so I can be back on the field." A pit of fear hangs over my heart, making my heartbeat echo out of my ears and defining every pump of blood throughout my body.  
  
"It's a simple deal really, I will let you back on the team if you beg on your knees for forgiveness for all the awful things you've said to and about me." His feet stopped his body from moving within an arms reach of me and a smirk took over his face, revealing his awful crooked teeth. "After you have begged for forgiveness, and then, and only then I will let you stay on the team, maybe if you're lucky, I'll let you sleep with me."  
  
Even though my body was full of fear, my words still needed to fight back. "I've never slept with a troll before, and today is definitely not gonna change that." I reached into my waistband, wrapping my shaking fingers on the handle yelling "Flipendo" at Flint. Once I see his body flip in the air I run out of the locker room and make my way back to the dungeon. I pushed my body to run as fast as I could fly on a broom. I was finally halfway to the castle door when Flints screams, trying to cast jelly-leg jinx, ordering me to come and back and fight him echoed into the open air around to quidditch field. Green flashes of light send off heat as they fly past me and land among my steps. His heavy steps pounding on the gravel trail pushed my body to keep going, to push my legs to run faster.  
  
As I ran through the halls, my lungs began to sting like they had filled with Billywigs stringing me to escape. My body was only running on the adrenalin caused by my fear of Marcus. My feet started to hurt as I was still in my slippers which held no support but I kept pushing myself. I needed help and the tears starting to pool in my eyes did nothing but blur my vision and slow me down. Before I even was in the same hallway as the common room door, I screamed the password with what little air I had left. "Ambitious!...ambitious...AmBitIoUs," My voice went in and out with the little air left in my lungs. Finally turning the corner for the hall protecting the door, hoping that the door would start opening from my breathless cries yet it didn't move. My legs started to ache and slip against the floor below me, and my thoughts just kept me going, completely ignoring everything in my path, including the person I ended up body slamming into the stone ground.  
  
  
George POV  
  
The worst thing about setting up pranks is sometimes having to wake up at the arse crack of dawn. Luckily Fred is helping me with this one so if we get done quick enough, we'll be able to grab some quick breakfast and take a little snooze before potions. I may hate waking up early to set up these ice jinks outside of all the common rooms and whatever pranks Fred and I come up with, but I enjoy the rare quiet. This early in the morning, you can easily hear the professor's owls flying around the castle and the ghosts having morning tea during their first floats of dawn.  
  
This morning seemed a little off though, other than I got no sleep trying to find a way for Fred and me to enter our names for the tournament. While standing in front of the Slytherin common door, I heard feet or weak soles slapping on the floor like loose shoes or muggle flip flops holding on with their dear likes to feet. Along with the loud footsteps, a girl screaming could be heard, growing closer. I shrugged it off as Peeves or Fred trying to pull a joke on me so I went on with casting the jink on the ground. After making sure that the floor was entirely a skating rink, I turned around to go back to the stairs when a girl scared out of her mind completely threw herself at me, sending our bodies to shoot down the icy floors.  
  
Once our bodies slid far enough down the ice, I found the familiar girl on top of me. "Mornin', I'm not really complaining about a girl throwing herself at me, but did you really need to land us on cold ground first thing in the morning?" Sitting up to rub my head, I looked at the girl in front of me, recognizing the top of her head as the one and only Marlowe Pucey. Marlowe has always been a great view. With her long dark hair framing her face, complimenting her milk chocolate eyes that seem to devour your heart with a single look. Today she looked drastically different. She most likely looked different because she was holding onto me with her life, crying into my vest as if I was her pillow or protector, and her body vibrated with coldness. I tried to pull her away to see if she was hurt from the fall or anything but her shaking body didn't budge, she kept her head over my heart and her arms between her chest and mine.  
  
"Marlowe, is everything okay? Are you hurt?" I begged for an answer. Inside my thoughts I freaked out, never wanting to actually hurt anyone with pranks, just give them a good laugh in the end. Her cries kept going as I waited for an answer.  
  
"I need help...he's chasing me." She finally spoke between sobs. She looked at me, dead in the eyes, and wrapped her arms around my body. "He was gonna hurt me, he's still following me, I know it."  
  
I looked around the hallways trying to find the guy who caused such tears. Her cries turned into a panic before me. I moved her arms from around my body to around my neck and knelt to pick her up bridal style. Before picking up her weight, I found myself scanning her body quickly, I saw a few purple bruises across her face but no blood. Her left foot was missing a slipper and it looked like pieces of grass and mud-covered the right slipper. Pulling her into my arms and making sure she was sucre in my arms, I whispered into her ear, "Hold on tight, we're on thin ice." After waiting a moment to see if my joke helped her, I balanced my body on the wall next to me before standing up to my feet. Slowly rising and readjusting Marlowe in my arms. I took small steps to the edge of the ice, sliding a few times but holding onto her frail body tight.  
  
Once both my feet were on study stone, I ran with my life, hoping- praying to Merlin's beard that Snape would be in his classroom and hopefully he would be willing to listen since she is a Slytherin. Luckily I ran into the Bloody Baron who after a few strange looks informed me that he saw snape heading to the Great Hall for breakfast. After thanking the ghost, I asked him to tell Fred to meet me in the hall if he sees him.  
  
I continued my sprint across the castle, passing a few early birds who looked at me like I'm crazy, running and holding a girl in my arms as she let out these agonizing screams but I ignored them, using them as an encouragement to keep running. Once arriving at the Great Hall, I ran to the front of the room to Snape, trying to explain the story between gasps for air.  
  
"She ran into me, she needs help, and we slid, then I ran here...help her." I must have looked like I was trying to pull a prank on Snape at first, but once he realized that it was one of his students in my arms, he realized the seriousness of the event.  
  
"Hold on to her tight Weasley," Snape thickly whispered, looking around the Great Hall as he grabbed onto my upper arm. Snape must have apparated us to the hospital wing as a force of nausea took over my body but I still held on to Marlowe with all my conscious might. I look down to find her face completely red covered in tears, her face looks to be in shock, unfazed by the apparition that she just endured, or Snape who was trying to take her from my arms but she held tight to me, even as she faded into a trance.  
  
"Professor, go grab Pomfrey, I'll place her on one of the beds. Please hurry though, I've been carrying her for a good 15 minutes." As I walk to the first bed to my left, Fred runs into the wing, huffing for air but he still lands at my side and helps to pull the girl out of my arms.  
  
"Wow George, you set up an ice jinx and end up with a Slytherin in your arms, you're gonna have to teach me that one so I can use it during our next quidditch match against Flint." Fred laughed.  
  
Something Fred said must have broke Marlowe out of her trance as her screaming and crying started back up again, clawing to climb back onto me. Luckily Pomfrey came running back over with Snape, both looking as confused as Fred as to why a girl I barely knew was crying these blood-wrenching screams in my arms. After some time and a stunning jinx, we were able to separate Marlowe from my embrace and Snape sent us to breakfast. Before I could argue to the greaseball to let me stay, Fred pulled me out of the room, whispering about how this gave us an alibi for the icy floors.  
  
During breakfast, I was unable to eat. A girl whose name, house, and talent in quidditch are the only things I knew about her, captivated my thoughts. Her scared body holding on to mine like I was a raft in the middle of the ocean, stayed in my mind. Her screams still echoed in my ears, making me yearn to save the almost stranger. I couldn't stop thinking about her screeching and clawing at me, even as Fred pointed out all the kids talking about our prank. I ignored the world going on around me as I walked into potions, that is until I saw her sitting at a table. I head over to her seat to check on her but Snape gives me a glare. I thought he just meant the look as a warning till he headed my direction, grabbing mine as well as Freds' arms, pulling as into the corridor.  
  
Snape looked between the two of us, slightly looking up to look into our eyes. His face read of annoyance yet slight sorrow could be found in his eyes as his gloomy words talked at us."I'm not going to ask any more questions about the fiasco with Ms. Pucey this morning but I am going to give you both detention for the next month for the skating rinks that sent 24 students to the infirmary this morning. Fred, you will be helping Hagrid with animal clean-up. George, you will be cleaning the potions classroom. " Once he was done barking out his orders, he returned to his classroom leaving Fred and me alone.  
  
Fred sent a slight laugh under his breath, "I thought it would have been more than 24."  
  
I couldn't help but release a slight chuckle from my lips, pulling Freds' sleeve so we could claim seats in the room. Once we walked back into the room, we found Snape at the front of the classroom, calling for the Gryffindor students to line up on one wall and the Slytherin students on the opposite wall. Snapes' musty heavy tone filled the air as everyone went to their walls. "Each table has 6 seats, I want 3 from each house at each table. Your partner MUST be someone of the opposite house because I will not have anyone trying to brew any special treats in my classroom AGAIN this year." Snape's eyes stared Fred and us down but we pretended to have no idea.  
  
The silence continued across the classroom until Snape turned to the board, then everyone scurried to a table. Luckily Fred, Lee, and I ran to an empty table to the side. All the Slytherin students seemed to avoid our table, most likely knowing that snape was going to spend most of the time correcting our potions. Looking at the line of Slytherins still lined up on the wall, I find Marlowe at the end closest to the door ready to run if danger made itself known to her.  
  
  
Marlowe POV  
  
I stayed silent on the wall, scared of sitting down at any table with an open seat in case Flint ends up in here. I leave my head looking down but still make sure that I can see all the tables if I slightly lookup. Suddenly I feel a pair of eyes on me as a slight shadow casts itself on my body.  
  
"Hey Marlowe, would you like to come to join our table." The voice seemed humbling and not as pitiful as Snapes and Pomfeys had been when I argued to go to class after I explained what happened.  
  
I nodded my head and followed the tall figure to his table on the far wall and I sat down next to him. I kept my eyes on the table as I pulled out some parchment and quill. Once Snape started talking, I finally allowed myself to look at those around the table. Next to me was a Weasley while his photocopy sat in the chair next to him. Across from me sat Lee Jordan and Miles Bletchley who I knew from the quidditch team but we never talked. I looked around the room hoping my roommate Lydia would magically walk into the room and sit at the empty seat at our table.  
  
My eyes returned to the blank parchment in front of me. I could hear Snape talking about potions we would be going over during the next few weeks but I just couldn't find the energy to write any of it down. Slowly another piece of parchment seemed to overlap mine. This sheet had a few notes written but in the top corner closest to me, I saw words written as if to ask me a question. I turn to look at the Weasley next to me whose eyes jump from Snape, to mine, to the corner of the parchment, inviting me to look on his paper.  
  
In messy handwriting, I found the words "Did you really choose to come to class instead of staying in the infirmary" scribbled.  
  
Slowly pulling the paper in front of me, I quickly wrote "So I'm gonna guess that you were the unlucky soul that had to run me there. Sorry about that." Before sliding the note back, I looked in the opposite corner to find that he wrote his name. _George_  
  
I watched George read my cursive, mouthing the words, and instantly dunked his quill in his ink to begin his reply. His concentration while writing was quite interesting to me. His shoulder-length hair kept getting pushed behind the ear closest to me. After a few moments, Georges' hand bumped mine, unaware that I had been watching his actions. I pulled the parchment closer and made sure Snape was still focused on the board.  
  
"It's not every day a girl throws herself at me and doesn't laugh at my jokes. If you need to be carried anywhere else, please give me a 10-minute notice so I can limber up." His note made me laugh, a little too loud as when I looked up, I found Snape glaring at the boy next to me.  
  
For the rest of the class, George would leave jokes on the paper between us. In between jokes, we took notes on Snape's word and the potions we would be going over next time which would be Euphoria Elixier. Once the class was out, I got up and started to grab my things while the 3 Gryffiondors traded some words amongst themselves.  
  
"Ms. Pucey and Mr. Weasley," Snape's thick voice called us. "You both will begin your detention after the next class. Professor Dumbledore has also asked that you both come to his office with me. Seeing as you both have off periods after this, now is probably the best time, now follow me." Snape's words burned anxiety into my skull. I really didn't want George or any other students to hear about the incident that arose this morning.  
  
Snape led us down the hall, walking 10 feet ahead as George and I remained quiet for the whole walk, only trading glances to see if the other was still there. Once We arrived at the phoenix statue, Snape broke the silence as we rode the stairs to the top and shared the good news. "Pucey will be going in alone and once you get called in Mr. Weasley, you may enter."  
  
Snape opened the door for me and before he closed it, I looked back to find George giving me a cheeky grin with a thumbs up, his actions eased my mind. Once I walked into the office, Dumbledore instantly rushed me over to the Pensieve in the corner of the room, pulling my memory of this morning. Dumbledore and Snape watched my memory back but I decided that I couldn't. I couldn't face Flint again after that and I don't think my mind or body could have either.  
  
Once they returned from my nightmare of a morning, we sat down around the big wooden desk, Dumbledore handing me a cup of honeysuckle tea. With a few throat-clearing coughs, Dumbledore expressed his thoughts. "Ms. Pucey, we have a few questions for you before we bring in Mr. Weasley. Whatever you say in this room will be kept between any active parties. Now, we have already moved your schedule around so that you and Mr. Flint will not share any classes for this school year. We have also decided that for your comfort, you will be excused from sitting at the Slytherin table for meals if you need to get away from him. The only problem with this is after your actions with Mr. Diggory, I will not allow you to sit with Hufflepuff until your detention with Snape is up. Furthermore, Snape and Pomfrey have agreed to supply you with sleep drought when needed."  
  
For some reason, my mind went blank. Staring at the teacup, the realization that it's only the second day of class and I have been pulled by professors twice already. The next realization hit me like tempest jinx, just the thought of being in the same common room as Flint put fear into me.  
  
The worry must have been readable on my face because Snape began talking. "Headmaster, I am going to grab Weasley." Snape quickly left and when he returned with Weasley, he walked over to the window, giving us some space.  
  
George who was as confused as I was as to why he was summoned was asked by Dumbledore to explain what happened this, morning. As George explained his reason for being in front of the Slytherin dungeons, I watched as sadness grew on his face while he explained how my fear affected him. My mind must have been so stressed when I knocked into George that I only remember crying into his chest when we were in the infirmary. Listening to all the trouble I caused him made me feel like a burden but that quickly went away when George lit up talking about how I wouldn't let go of him. My face felt quite warm from embarrassment by the end of Georges' side of the story to the point that I started fanning my blushing face.  
  
After a quick chuckle about my actions between George and Dumbledore, Snape looked at me and decided to break my fluster. "Pucey, I know it might not be what you want but we can obliviate the actions of your fellow housemate from your mind...If you believe that would help."  
  
The idea rolled around in my mind for a moment while I looked back at George, would I forget his actions as well? "Thank you for the offer Professor but I would like to think about it. I rarely see Flint at all, and now that I'm not on the quidditch team, we should rarely cross paths."  
  
George who looked at me with no clue of what we were even talking about quickly spoke up. "If it's okay with Marlowe, we have detention together for the next month, I can walk her back to the dungeons if that would be helpful." He quickly turned to give me a reassuring smile.  
  
"That would be for you 2 to decide. If there aren't any more questions or worries then you 2 may head back to class." Dumbledore took my teacup, gave as Lemondrop candies, and walked with us to the bottom of the phoenix.  
  
"Before we walked away from the headmaster, I had to ask him a question that troubled me. "By any chance Headmaster, would you know what happened to my roommate, Lydia Valence?"  
  
Dumbledore's normally smiling and gentle face turned cold. "Ms. Valence recently had a death in the family, her great uncle Frank. She should be back by next week. If you would prefer to invite one of your Slytherin friends or brother to room with you, you may. Just warn Snape because he put a spell on your room to help you sleep better." With his words done, he left George and me as he returned to his office.  
George turned to me, with a questioning look plastered on his face. "Marlowe, you don't have too but what did happen this morning before you ran into me?"


	3. Whose more protective?

George turned to me, with a questioning look plastered on his face. "Marlowe, you don't have too but what did happen this morning before you ran into me?"  
  
His question caught me off guard. I knew he was gonna ask me at one point or another but I barely knew this guy. I've seen him quite a lot seeing as we both started the same year. We had a few classes together sprinkled here and there but our only conversations were me making fun of him with the other Slytherins for being a Weasley. Other than that this guy had been nothing to me yesterday, now he feels like a good friend. Looking up at him I realized that I should wait. "George, I would love to tell you but how bout another day, for lords sakes I know your name and that you're a Gryffindor." I tried to put on a fake smile and saw that his eyes saddened me a bit and looked away from me. Not wanting to make him feel awkward about asking, I decided to change the subject. "How about, to make up for how sweet you are for everything today, I'll buy you a butterbeer this weekend?" The smile returned to Georges's face but before he could say anything, I hear Draco calling my name from down the corridor.  
  
"Marlowe, are you alright! The whole Slytherin quidditch team knows what happened and who knows how long till the whole house knows." Draco looked at me with a worried, similar to the one he wore on the train before I went to change. The only difference I could notice from on the train is that Draco's face was now a bit red, but that's most likely from how much he drank last night or this morning. His look was soon wiped off when he looked at the hand of a Weasley in my own. "Just because she and Cedric are over doesn't mean she'll go out with the likes of you Weasley," Draco harshly informed George while pulling my body away from the gentle ginger but my hand still clung to his.  
  
Dracos words stung, even to me, and if it was anyone else I would slap him across the face, but I knew he was just being the arse that Lucius raised him to be. "Draco, don't you dare talk to George like that" I ordered the fourth year while staring myself out of his grip. I turned to George and reminded him that I would see him in Potions and finally let go of his hand, leaving a coldness and empty feeling in my palm.  
  
I then grabbed Dracos' tie and pulled the blond scamp into an alcove down the hall, where no one would see us. "Draco, we will talk about this after dinner, my room." I furiously left Draco there in the alcove on the bench before I could recognize my need to scream at my fear of the whole Slytherin house choosing Marcus over me with whatever story he told them. I didn't want to blow Draco off like that but I just want to go throughout the rest of my day like it was any other. I don't need any more people to get wrapped up in this.  
  
For the rest of my day, I just had to get through my last class, dinner, and then the rest of the night I could talk with Draco. My last class was Divination and was actually very excited for the class until I sat down and looked around the room to find my twin brother sitting behind me sending looks of daggers my way about Salazar knows what.  
  
After the class started, Trelawney started going off her rocker as she talked about seeing with your third eye. Her soapbox was paused when the door slammed shut and a familiar Hufflepuff sprinted in. Looking at the cheating arse stride on in and apologize like the perfect person facade that he wore like a glove, I could still a slight pull from my heart for Ced, that is until he walked straight over and sat next to Cho. My heart sank back to the pit that it spent most of the day in as I then tried to focus my best on the class and took notes on anything my brain could actually focus on that wasn't my brother with his death glare or my ex with his other woman.  
  
When class was finally over, I grabbed my things as quickly as possible and tried to leave my table until Adrian appeared at my side, grabbing my arm with such haste, and the looks of daggers still lingered in his eyes. "Mari, what gives you the bloody right to your actions in the past 24 hours, huh? I've had to spend my classes standing up for you and I barely know anything myself. What are Mother and Father gonna say when they find out that your treatment towards two other purebloods and then multiple Slytherins have been seeing you cozy with a certain weasel. Think of what the rest of the pure families will think of y-"  
  
I pulled my arm back after his tone on me being seen with a Weasley, and cut my brother off at the thought of him only caring cause I'm making him look bad. "Well Adrian, if you really cared then you would know that I didn't start either situation, the poor excuses for men did, the only man that has proven his right to the term was in fact the Weasley who heard my screams for help when no one else did. Now if you'll excuse me, I am going to dinner and you can come to my room later and I'll explain everything to you when I tell Draco." I quite literally ran from my brother as the overwhelming feeling of having to talk about my brothers' awful troll of a friend, thankfully Draco will there and be on my side and whoever else is willing to listen to my side of the story.  
  
Unfortunately, as soon as I walk out of the classroom door, Draco is standing at the banister and I can hear Adrian's cocky footsteps behind me. I have been cornered...  


George POV  
  
Since leaving Marlowes' side, I felt off. Most likely from no sleep last night but who knows. I quickly found Fred and we spent the rest of the afternoon in the library continuing our search for age potions and spells so that we could enter our names into the Tri-Wizard Tournament. After a few hours, we found the aging potion that Snape taught us in the fourth-year. Luckily we had most of the ingredients except for one, newt spleen.  
  
"Hey George, don't you have detention with Snape starting later this week?"  
  
"Why Fred, I think this is going to be a luck of the draw for us." Well, there's another reason to look forward to detention I thought to myself.  
  
After finding all of our research I was ready for dinner to start with the loud grumbling coming from my stomach. During our walk to the Great Hall, we went over our plan of practicing the potion a few times over the next month, putting it in candies, and offering the candies to first-years to make sure we get it just right. Fred seemed very excited about this whole situation and how our plans were falling into place but in the back of my brain, I couldn't help thinking of her.  
  
Before this morning Marlowe was just a Slytherin who I would pass in the halls, think she was cute, and move on. Now I can't help but think about her. I look at her and see this girl that is scared, her eyes while crying into my chest this morning still gives me goosebumps. She is also a very interesting Slytherin who doesn't bring up blood or money as an excuse to be mean to them. I'm not saying she's perfect but from what I've seen today she's pretty close.  
  
Breaking out of my thoughts I find myself already sitting at the table for dinner. Lee is sitting across from me going on to Oliver Wood about different things they can do to take their mind off the lack of quidditch this year. Fred next to me is talking to Angelina and Katie, giving them his best jokes. Angelina seems to be looking at him differently, with intent in her eyes, lucky him. I feel quite alone for a moment, taking a look around the room while I start putting food on my plate and someone grabs my eye. From across the room, I can see Adrian and Daco standing by the door, talking to Marlowe about something. I can see her shaking from here, looking like she's ready to burst into tears or yell at the numskulls, I can't tell from this distance.  
  
After excusing myself, I walk over to the snake trio and find Adrian telling his sister to get over it and just tell him the story already, and something about Marcus won't care if she sits with them.  
  
"Hey Marlowe, what's going on, aren't you hungry." My words stop their conversation and I end up receiving death glares from the two boys.  
  
Dracos egotistical voice started to say something rude but Marlowes hitting him in the chest, stopping whatever vile words he was gonna use this time.  
  
Adrian stepped up but being shorter than I definitely didn't help his case. "This has nothing to do with you Weasley, fuck off." His arrogant voice was quite annoying but luckily his sister was able to save his ass and pull us a few feet away to have our own conversation.  
  
"I'm sorry about both of them George, they just really want me to sit with them for dinner but I'd really like to avoid my house for the rest of the night so I'm just gonna grab some food and head back to my dorm." Her voice sounded off, more fake than it did this morning. It sounded like she was ready to burst into tears about something but was holding it back, her face also seemed to be unsure like she thought someone was gonna jump out from behind her any second.  
  
Then Snape's words to her earlier popped into my head and I grabbed her hand, it was warm and gentle, fitting perfectly into mine. I leaned and looked at the silly male snakes sharing my plan, maybe a little too loud cause a few people sitting at the house tables turned to look at me. "Hey slithers, I'll return her to the dungeon after dinner." I quickly pulled Marlowe to the Gryffindor table before she could refuse or realize what I just signed her up for.  
  
Luckily my part of the bench was still open and so was the part next to it. I quickly sat her down next to Fred and introduced her to everyone. "Hey everyone, Marlowe here is gonna be a rebel and sit with the big boys today." A slight laugh escaped her mouth and a smile stretched across her face as my friends all asked her silly questions about Slytherin rumors, the lake squid, Draco's natural hair color, and of course Katie wanted to know if Adrian was single.  
  
Their questions quickly slowed down as dinner went on and they returned to their own conversations, except for Fred. His eyes kept jumping as quick as questions were back between her and my own once he looked at her lap to find her hands playing with my hand. I'm not gonna complain though because for the first time she looked like she was in her element.  
  
"So Marlowe, what's it like being related to the worst chaser in Hogwarts history?"  
  
"Quite easy seeing as everyone forgets that we're even related, I often forget that we're even twins, do you two ever have that problem?."  
  
Both of us looked at each other for a moment and then back at her who kept her eyes on Freds. Like most twin questions we answer, we respond in the same voice, "Nope."  
  
Fred kept asking her questions, completely forgetting about the 2 girls across from him. As Marlowe got more into the conversation, the confidence in her voice was taking over the raspy fear that took over earlier. Her grasp on my hand started to loosen which kinda hurt but it also gave me the advantage to start grabbing some more food to place on the plate in front of her as well as my own.  
  
Once Fred was done with her, she turned back to Oliver and Lee and talked about quidditch while nipping at the food in front of her. I just sat back and enjoyed the view of the girl who finally looked calm, finally looked like she was in a good place. As the conversation went on, the whole group slowly joined in with their own views on the sport or talking about their favorite team. This person who barely knew of us an hour ago was laughing with such joy and humility, even when Wood reminded her of when she did a sloth grip roll and ended up going through the goalpost only to still get hit by the bludger in a quidditch game against Hufflepuff last year. The conversation went on till they were the only ones left in the hall.  
  
Marlowe seemed to have fun which became evident after she said goodnight to everyone and even hugged everyone before she reminded me that I needed to walk her back to the Dungeon. "You told my brother and Draco that you'll return me after dinner so let's hurry or up before we miss curfew." Her hand instantly found mine without struggle and pulled me out to the corridor.  
  
As we exited the Great Hall, I found Marlowe to be walking slowly, with no words to say but she looked content. She looked at the few openings in the wall staring up at the sky and right before her staircase she pulls me by the hand over to the open air. As she looked up I felt the need to talk to her, say something, anything. "Hey, Marlowe..."  
  
"Yes, George." She turned her face to me but left her eyes on the sky, the stars reflecting in her dimly lit irises.  
  
"What's the story behind your name. I know most Twins have similar names or themes, like Fred and I are named after our late uncles. What's your story?" I pulled my legs over the short wall and sat on it, searching the sky for what she was looking at.  
  
"My parents were both Slytherins and they would often stay up late in the common room and stare out the windows at night, watching the squid, mermaids, and sometimes watch the sea serpents dance across the windows. They fell in love with water so my brother is named after a port in the sea and I'm named for "the hill by the lake," which is also a reference to the house they got married in." Her solemn face radiated beauty as her words sounded like poetry to my ears. I could see the stars above reflected in her eyes that I could only break away from when she spoke up again. "You see the big red star in the sky" she points up and moves my head to help point it out. "That's actually not a star but Mars. Draco says that there's a wizarding school up there."  
  
I couldn't help but laugh at her, pulling her away from the night sky. We spent the rest of the walk as she recited facts about this supposed school. "No really, their headmaster is apparently a talking lion."  
  
"Oh yeah, does he bite their head off when they get in trouble?" I laugh, hoping her response is only as good as the idea.  
  
Her response could barely be heard through her intoxicating giggles."Who knows, Draco just told me that he lets his favorite students ride on his back."  
  
I couldn't help but stop walking as I bend over laughing at the idea of Draco feeding her this idea. Turns out the little shits got a funny side. "Okay, Mars girl, I hope you have a rocketship to get there."  
  
Our walk abruptly came to an end as Marlowes laughs cut off, which I had to accept since when I looked up from her to find Adrian and Draco were giving me death glares as they stand next to the dungeon door. Marlowe must be embarrassed by me because she quickly thanked me and pulled me into a hug, letting go a little too quickly for my liking. "Goodnight George, I'll see you in potions." Watching her walk away felt wrong but I had to accept it before the 2 fools started a scene.  
  
I quietly devoted my last words for today to her, "Goodnight Mars."  


Marlowe POV  
  
Seeing the two standing there giving George and me those judgemental looks, waiting for me as if I was their child returning home late after their date; it gave me a bit of joy knowing that they cared. I would have hated it if my parents did it but the two boys knew that George and I are just friends and he was looking out for me.  
  
As I approached the silent pair, they both took a hand of mine and together said the password. After their small chorus of "Ambition," they waited for the door to open just enough for us to slide through in a single file line. Dracos body walked in first and all the other Slytherins must have known that I was behind him cause my first look into the common room was dirty, and judgemental looks in my direction. The room felt like it was quiet but it wasn't as the whispers containing my name floated, no...stormed around the room. Looking up from my feet, no one was even looking at me, at us, my brain was pulling tricks on me and once I did, the room only grew louder with every beat my heart could muster, my mind finally analyzing the words as homework talk and what happened over summer. The fear of the sight of my Hogwarts family against me still sat as an option in my thoughts, acting at a jelly leg jinx as I could feel Draco and Adrian have to practically hold my body up.  
  
Once all 3 of us were past the doors, the boys flew past everyone trying to get me to safety, away from any rumors. They tore through the students in the way, running down the stairs somehow not tripping on any of the steps or students blocking us. Once we made it down the hall, I realized that we weren't heading for my room, we went down the wrong hallway. Why are we on the boys' side?  
  
We kept running until Zabini blocked the way pulling us into his and Dracos' room. I landed on the floor, out of breath unable to form words hoping that someone would explain what the hell was going on. When I look back at the door, it's still open with Draco talking to Crabbe and Goyle. I watch as they agree to whatever Draco has said and leave to room, closing the door with them.  
  
Silence fills the room, with the only sound being the mermaids swimming past the window behind me. Draco and Adrian sit in chairs that they pulled up to block the door as Zabini offers me his rare caring smile that he only offers once a pink moon and then only to me it seems. He helps me up and pulls me over to sit on the trunk at the end of a four-poster, and walks away to a cart in the corner. After dealing with the silence for minutes that felt longer than the O.W.L's, I decided to break the ice. "So is anyone gonna tell me why I'm in here instead of my own room?"  
  
"Boys," Zabini quickly from his cart in the corner holding whiskey cups for all of us. "Let's start with the drinks Mari, and then you can start with your side of the story of whatever is going on before we talk about what we've been told-" He cut off his words to give Draco a death glare, "Hell no, the almost full cup is for Mari you spoiled prick." After Draco took his drink, Zabini handed me a FULL cup of what I guess to be Firewhiskey based on the smell and color alone.  
  
I looked into the cup, hoping that the liquid would keep me calm and collected like it normally did. Bringing the cup up to my mouth brought back memories of quidditch training at Malfoy Manor. Staying up late into the morning in Draco's room as the seven teammates would drink and party. They often would start with truth or dare and the game would always lead up to them playing a miniature game of quidditch with beer that Goyle jinxed into a drinking game his third year. The night always ended with a shot for the team and then everyone else returning to their respective guests' rooms while Draco and I would pass out from talking until the break of dawn.  
  
Enjoying the memories of the drink lightened my heart and made me as ready as I could be. Taking a big gulp gave me the courage to tell 3 of my closest friends about my 24 hours of hell. After Draco informed me that Blaise and Adrian have already been told about yesterday with Cedric, I started my side of the story with the note that I received last night from Flint. I tried not to skip any details of the interaction in the locker room. Zabini and Draco swapped seats at this point so he could hold me in his arms when tears started to form but I ignored him, I ignored all of them. I then went on to tell them about how my last clear memory was running into George and then the next thing I know, I'm fighting to go to class in the hospital wing.  
  
While telling this story, the only thing keeping me from completely losing it like I did this morning was pretending that I was telling George everything, I pretended Dracos arms were his cause he deserved the truth more than they did since he got dragged into this by my stupid actions, but I owed it to them.  
  
After I was done with my side, I chugged the drink I held in my hands, focusing on the burning as it coaxed my throat and I held onto every last fiery taste till nothing was left. The liquid overtook my esophagus and it then hit me that it was a tad watery but that could have just been my tired tastebuds. Once my cup was as dry as my new love life, Adrian decided that it was his turn to speak. "Marlowe, I'm sorry but it's only gonna get worse from here."  



	4. Hand in Hand

  
"Marlowe, I'm sorry but it's only gonna get worse from here," Adrian informed me, with his signature stern tone, sitting forward in his chair. The view sends shivers down my spine as my twin brother looks like the spitting image of our father when he's about to share bad news, all down to how father held the cup between his thumb and forefinger.  
  
"WAIT-" I blurted out stopping the boys from spilling the beans. The boys went silent and looked at each other with wide eyes as I got up from the trunk, and ran over to the bathroom to wash my cup out. After shaking the cup around with all my might and letting the droplets slash the walls of the sink, I waltzed over to the bar cart on the wall, left my cup, and grabbed the Firewiskey bottle. While up I also walked over to Blaises bed in the corner and stole his grey velvet blanket to wrap myself in. While walking back to my seat on the trunk, I find the three boys laughing at me. Trying my best to muster up a genuine smile to offer my best friends, I drop a joke to lighten the mood a bit more, "Hey, I've got my priorities straight, now someone tell me what the bloody troll said."  
  
Once Blaise caught his breath from his laughter, his seriousness slowly replaced the laughs with each word that left his mouth. "Well, Marlowe, Flint told the entire quidditch team that you went into the locker room while he was showering and begged for him to let you back on the team. Flint talked about how you practically started begging him to sleep with you in exchange for your place back. Apparently, when he said no to your advances, you decided to make him look like the bad guy and started running around the castle crying to frame him."  
  
Draco, while sitting at my feet had started playing with his shoelaces, picked up where his roommate left off. "Flint has also been the team that during quidditch camp you would sneak into his room late at night and have you're way with him." Draco quickly turned around and all I could see was fear, darkness, and hurt in his grey eyes. He turned back to his laces and took a moment to reign in his emotions, "Flint also went into detail about your nights together and we just chose to ignore him since we...I didn't believe him anyway, but when he started telling others at dinner last night they actually started to believe him." Draco's words slowed down, burning to hold back at the words coming out of his mouth. At the end of his troublesome words, his protectiveness of me must have kicked in as he tried to grab my hand but I shook him off and turned to my brother who was fuming in his seat.  
  
Adrian took a big breath and decided that it was his job to finish the story. "The rest of the team, who heard about this started whispers about how they want a turn with you. This morning when I went to go check on you, I saw idiot underclassmen outside of your door trying to sneak into your room and even how to give you a love potion. At Breakfast this morning, I found Flint telling the team all about your body-it was rather sickening."  
  
Looking at my brothers' reaction to not only the words of lies from his best friend's own mouth but also the actions and plans of his teammates struck a chord with him. Seeing my brother this way cause me such pain because even though he'll never admit it, he must feel as though he has failed as my older brother. He has always talked about protecting me from the dangers out there, father and mother have even told him that it's his duty to protect me.  
  
I broke away from looking at my brother, his facial expression hinted that he was lost in thought about the pressure he must be under too. My brother's painful face stayed baren as my mind went faster than a dementor in a preschool. While my thoughts filled my body with anger towards Flint, I began to chug the bottle in my hands, hoping it would clear something, anything up. My demeanor and actions must have hit the boys but it was too late, by the time Adrian was trying to take the bottle from my hands, the liquid courage coursed through my body, and the glass was empty.  
  
Finally, I found a few words that I knew to be of my somewhat sober mind, "Where are Crabbe and Goyle. I need to borrow those idiots to beat a certain someone to a pulp." I stood up in hopes of going out into the hallway to look for them but I fell straight to the ground as the firewhiskey kicked in. I became a watcher of what was happening but I had no control over my mind or body. I just observed as Blaise and Adrian picked me up by my arms and placed me back on the trunk.  
  
The 3 boys had a conversation amongst themselves but I couldn't piece together whose words belonged to who. "She needs to sleep in her own room... I can't, I'm supposed to go with Snape to talk to Dumbledor and I'm already late... What if someone sneaks in...Snape has a spell in place... We need to clear her name... Who won't cause suspicion?"  
  
The room started to swirl around me like I was falling off a broom up in the clouds. I could sense someone grabbing my hand, saving me from a deep fall, and standing me up to walk on thin air, I feel both my hands grip onto an arm? No, it can't be an arm, it's too wide-too warm. A heartbeat becomes very obvious under one of my hands, so strong that it could be in my hand for all I know. A crack shakes my body as the area around me goes missing for a split millisecond.  
  
The strange incoherent voice begins again but I now feel myself on a cloud. I can make out some of the words just not the order. "need. hey. protect. Mari. sleep. I'm.  
  
Then the world went dark around me as I welcomed the soft cloud around me.  


  
I don't remember waking up, but I do remember the feeling in my hand becoming obvious to my senses. Something or someone was talking but the words, instead of being only heard became physical and spun around me, trapping me in my spot. The words were as groggy and fuzzy as the person standing in front of me. I could see the shadow of a mouth moving, urging me but the words lacked sense. I turn to see the words spinning around me are random and running fast but my mind can't help but read too far into them. Exchange, help, potions, friends, obliviate.  
  
The world around me starts to crumble and I put my arms out, grabbing with my life onto the person-the shadow and the world pauses. The person becomes still-me. The figure is me, trying to communicate or save itself. The words, finally clear and legible form as a hint, "The only thing standing between you and obliviation is him."  
  
The words seem real but leave me with more questions than I have time to ask the figure for before I'm torn from them. My fingers feel movement while a hand rests against mine.  
  
Opening my eyes, I find Adrian sitting on the floor facing my bed, with his hand flesh to mine and moving my fingertips with his own. I quietly watch as he does this, he looks at my hand but he's in a whole nother world inside his mind.  
  
When Adrian and I were younger we often found ourselves holding hands and playing with one another's fingertips, that was our way of communicating without words or eye contact. We've been doing it for years and it most likely started when we were younger.  
  
As my brother pushed my fingers around with the lightest touch possible, I could tell he was confused. His eyes were red as if he was being pulled in different directions and streams of dried tears scurried around his cold face. Looking at his movements, his pointer finger was moving the slowest most which he only does if he's scared of the outcome. His middle finger was moving in a constant rhythm which was our sign that he is trapped in his mind and needs out.  
  
"Adrian is everything okay." I croak, wiping my bed head away from my eyes and pulling my body to sit up.  
  
Adrian keeps on with his movements, eyes still locked on something not physical. His voice seems cold and distant, "Mari, I had a meeting with Snape and Dumbledor last night." Tears started to race down the old tear stains of his face. My brother was not known for crying unless it was between us and even then it was a rare occurrence. "I'm sorry Mari, I'm sorry for not believing you, I'm sorry for having Blaise put veritaserum in your drink last night. I'm sorry that it took a potion as well as Snape and Dumbledor telling me what happened for me to believe you, my sister, my other half since birth, over my best friend." Tears started pouring out of my brothers' eyes.  
  
As much as I wanted to yell and scream at my brother, I pulled him closer and held him. His body refused to wrap his arms around me but I still held tight to my brother for as long as he'd let me. As time went on he finally gave in and sat on the bed and squeezed me with his muscular arms that feel like a rock is hugging me which then caused me to cry my eyes out.  
  
Adrian had never been super emotional for all 17 years of our lives. He has always hidden his feelings and emotions, even from me. My parents would often slap him when his emotions got the best of him and they would remind him that "Pureblood are real men, not weak" or something along those lines.  
  
That's when we turned to communicate through touch. When we first took divination in third-year, I looked in a mirror while practicing catoptromancy and Adrian was sitting behind me and I thought I heard his thoughts but I actually used legilimency. We realized that I could read Adrian, but he had trouble reading my thoughts even after we spent hours practicing. After his failure to learn, we agreed that I wouldn't use it on him cause it was unfair for me to know him better.  
  
As my brother's weak body held on to me, I broke our promise and turned to his thoughts. In what many would think in a dark and hate-filled mind, I find my brother's thoughts lonely and like that of a person driven by the terror of a child just wanting to please everyone around them. I found that minds often had a world of their own and in my brother's mind, there were 3 of him, young 5-year-old Adrian in his favorite pajamas covered in owls who was often being looked after by an older Adrian who looked about 15. The two Adrian's cleaned and filed the thoughts as they bustled around the third figure, current Adrian who was always lying on his back staring at the void around him. Adrian's thoughts were slow and mournful this morning as his mind begged for forgiveness from me and hatred toward Flint, who he considered to be his only friend. Guilt was the main player in his thoughts, but pity for his actions tried to take its place as reflected off the 2 figures onto the third.  
  
Before I could dive into his mind more, Adrian's voice pulled me out with his emotional cries between sobs. "Marlowe, I thought we had an agreement..."  
  
My tears had stopped as I pulled my brother away from my body and looked into his eyes. His brown eyes were much deeper than mine and the redness caused by lack of sleep and all the tears probably didn't help but I just stared into his eyes. "We did have a deal but you got access to my thoughts last night when you gave me truth serum even though you know I would never lie to you. Also, I want to forgive you as your sister but I can't forgive you as your friend."  
  
More tears started to fall from his eyes as confusion took over him and I needed to stop it. As much as I love my brother and I comforted him when he needed it, he didn't do the same for me. He chose to take his friend's side more than mine and I needed time to think about that. "Adrian, I think we need a little break from being siblings."  
  
Anger took over my brother yet confusion still lingered as he grabbed my hands. "What do you mean a break, I just want my sister to forgive me for my thoughts and actions." His voice got louder with each word that gritted through his teeth. He forced himself to rise and stand against me, once again mimicking father in stance and movement.  
  
A tapping at the door behind Adrian broke me from the fight unraveling before me at not even 6 am. I break from my brother's glare to push him away as I stood up to open the door to find a letter that was charmed to float in the entrance. Picking up the letter, I turn the parchment over to find a wax seal, Dumbledors seal.  



	5. New Captain

  
I tore the envelope open and before I could read it, I turned to find my brother with a clenched fist asking about the letter between my fingers. Choosing to ignore his words I walked over to my nightstand and grabbed my wand. Holding the wand tight I muttered "depulso" and banished my brother from my room. I quickly yelled "colloportus" locking the door before I opened the letter.  
  
Reading the words I quickly threw on my uniform and booked across the school, hoping to make it to Dumbledores office before anyone is awake. Basically running down the student absent halls, I find myself in fear of who I might run into on their way to breakfast but luckily I make it to the phoenix staircase without running into a single soul. My ears are stunned by the quiet doors along the way but as I rode the stairs up to the office, a loud argument breaks through the barrier.  
  
I approached the wooden door that opens itself to me and in front of me, I see the entire Slytherin quidditch team arguing among themselves with Dumbledore sitting back in his chair, looking as if he is enjoying the show going on before him. Snape stands behind Dumbledors chair, holding his forehead in his hand and rubbing away a possible headache as he forced to put up with the power-hungry boys trying to kill each other.  
  
Looking at the group as they argue I am surprised to find Marcus arguing in the middle with the whole team around him and Adrian is being held back by Zibini while Draco is being held by Crabbe and Goyle who look like they can barely keep the kid from killing the troll in front of him.  
  
I look at Marcus in the center, his normal toothy grin is replaced with dried blood dripping from his overbite. His swollen eyes look sunken in with bruises and dried blood covering the rest of his facial features. Marcus with his slightly comical look of a swollen, beat-up face is barking at the group around him but they all look like they are ready to tear him limb from limb when a scream breaks the room.  
  
"SILENCE" Snape screeches with his thick voice, ripping the boys from their argument and causes me a bit of a fright. With everyone now quiet and still, Snape looks and me and ushers me forward to his side. "Now if you all are done arguing, we will continue. For every word spoken out of place, a point will be taken from Slytherin. Are we clear?"  
  
I look out to the boys before me. Zibini and the numskull twins Crabbe and Goyle are still holding back the boys but I notice that they also have a few marks that I don't remember seeing last night. Silence hangs over the boys before me as they slightly nod to Snape or send death glares all in the same general direction of a certain beat-up troll.  
  
Dumbledore decides to break the silence and stands to take the reign of the room and tell us why we are here at 8 in the morning. "So gentlemen and Ms. Pucey, seeing on it is only the second day of the semester and I already have an entire quidditch team in my office for harassment, spreading harassment rumors, multiple fights, and threats of many kinds. I have called many of you to my office since last night and pulled some memories." Dumbledor must have been taking too long to get to the point cause Snape started his way to the front of the desk in front of the team.  
  
Without missing a beat Snape spoke up with his straight emotionless voice that often reminded me of a thick caramel that sat overnight. "What I believe headmaster is trying to get at is that we announced after the sorting ceremony that because of the Tri-Wizard tournament this year that there wouldn't be any school quidditch games yet you all are choosing to act like you lost a game without even stepping foot on the field. Now because of the actions of certain students, everyone who added to this commotion will have a month of detentions. Along with these detentions, some of you will help Madame Hooch with taking care of the quidditch field while others will be cleaning brooms and anything else that is used or needed for the first-year flight class for the rest of the school year."  
  
I watched as a commotion roared from the crew in front of me. Feeling what felt like daggers into my face, I turn to the center of the group to find Marcus sending me glares that sent shivers of fear down my spine. I quickly turned away to try and ignore the ugly arse and find Draco walking up to my side. Without saying a word, he grabs my hand and holds it behind us, most likely because he didn't want others to judge him for being soft or worse; telling his dad that he's gone soft.  
  
Looking at the fourth year who is currently equal to me in height, I find that his normally perfect skin has a huge bruise on his left cheek and his lip is split open yet he refuses to look at me, instead of watching the arguing jocks in front of us.  
  
A voice soared amongst the fight, "100 points from Slytherin." I feel Draco's hand flinch as we both turn to find Dumbledor snacking on some lemon drop candy as if he didn't just order the students' attention back from their commotion. "Along with the detentions and punishments, Marcus Flint will be removed as captain as he has proven that he is to not be trusted as a leader." Dumbledor then took his wand out and pointed it at the now tyrant who started running at the headmaster, sending silent charms in his direction. My head snaps to the boy landing on the ground, now pulling at a zipper over his mouth that he is unable to open. Dumbledor must have also cast jelly-legs jinx because Marcus barely moved his legs as the whole room stared at him."  
  
Dumbledor turned back to the team, ignoring the kid on the floor, "Mr. Montague, I hope you are willing to take over for Mr. Flint as he will be unable to finish his last year at Hogwarts according to his parents." Dumbledor made his way to the door and opened it, Snape quickly leaving once he could fit through the passage. He continued holding the door open as an invitation for us all to leave but before we all could reach the door, he reminded us of what just happened. "What a shame it is that the team is just now finding out that their captain was unable to come back to Hogwarts." The headmaster gleamed with every word and let us continue leaving the now confusing conversation. Draco and I were the last out of the doorway as the wood slammed behind us leaving us with just the sounds of everyone walking down the steps and the slight yelling of an angry troll.  
  
I know that I missed whatever had happened before I got to the headmasters' office or there was already an agreement that was put in place as all the quidditch members made their way back the dungeon except for Crabbe and Goyle who broke off to head to the kitchen. I was gonna break off to go steal a quick bite but Draco kept a firm grasp on my hand and pulled me to stay with the herd of Slytherin.  
  
Passing the great hall I could see my dinner friends from last night all laughing, except for one ginger who looked out of place as he scanned the room around him, looking for something. Our eyes locked on for a single moment put it passed as Draco tugged me to keep moving.  
  
Once arriving at the door to our common room we enter the silent common room. I watched as we all sit as a set of 2 leather couches, some on the actual cushions while others sit on the arms or the side arms. Once everyone has found a spot, Crabbe and Goyle rush in followed by a house-elf with mountains of food that they set on the coffee table between our group. Once they find spots, the silence continues to claim the room.  
  
Draco is the first one to reach for food, grabbing an apple that must be crisp based on the loud sound it makes upon his first bite. Graham uses this as a sign that it might be his turn to step up and be the leader and inform the rest of us what's going on.  
  
He sits up to the front of his cushion and adjusts his voice. "Well team, before we officially talk about what just happened and what just happened and the implication that comes with it, I would like to apologize to Marlowe." He adjusted his entire body to face me and he looked rather nervous but I'm unable to make out if it's about what happened or how I'll react to what he's about to say. "Marlowe, I'm sorry about our treatment of you after hearing Flint's rumors. If you are willing to forgive me then I would love for you to be back on the team as our keeper.  
  
I truly didn't know how to react to Graham's offer. I truly wanted to be back on the team but I also was so confused about what just happen. My team was mostly on my side and now I would only have Cassius and Graham as the only ones who didn't believe me at first, but why is he offering me the spot. Why is the guy that I have known for years even before coming to Hogwarts and who was one of my best friends when I was younger, who was so easy to believe and trust Flint's words? Even though this was all a passing thought, I felt as if this was all very strange because even if we did grow apart over the last few years, he still should have known that I would have never done anything with Flint let alone sleep with anyone to have or keep my position on the Slytherin quidditch team.  
  
Blaise squeezes my shoulder as he sits on the back of the couch and erupts me from my long moment of thought and brings me back to the outside world. "Thanks, Graham, I would love to be back on the team, Also if I may-" I quickly let go of Draco's hand that hid behind a side pleat of my skirt and tore my shoulder from Blaise's grasp to stand, surrounded by my 2nd family, all of my adopted brothers along with my real one. With a grin stretch across my face ear to ear, I took a deep breath and gave my words of thanks, "Thank you all for defending me up there in Dumbledors office, it is really wonderful to know that you all were on my side and I hope we continue this teamwork into next year when we actually have a game."  
  
The boys chuckled around me as I sat down and the boys near me gave me pats on my head as they've always done. Ever since I made the team second-year, I've had the honor of being the sister to all of these boys and I wouldn't change the world for it. Graham took back the floor with a cheeky grin as he invited everyone to dig into the food.  
  
Once everyone was done with food, we all slowly broke off from our couches and went to our classes or wherever we needed to go. Draco and Blaise offered to walk me to class as they had care for magical creatures and I had herbology. The 3 of us walked in silence, I held on loosely to both of their hands and we just enjoyed the world around us. Feeling a rush of energy from either happiness or filling my belly with food, I tried to skip, pulling the young men with me as I forced them to give in.  
  
Arriving in the corridor leading up to the greenhouse, I spotted a very familiar redhead thru the window panes. I hugged the boys and ran into the class, in hopes of getting a seat near both of the tall jokesters. Once inside, I glance around the room to find him-them but all I see is the back of one standing while slightly leaning, talking to someone who must be sitting down.  
  
I took the moment as a chance to surprise attack. I quickly swerved my body around people in my way as I rushed and jumped onto the back of the standing figure. I wrap my hands to cover his eyes before speaking, "Guess who, if you guess right then I owe you two butter beers this Saturday."  
  
"Honestly woman, you'd think after 2 days you would know I'm Fred." The voice chuckled, causing embarrassment to claim me as I slid down his back.  



	6. Don't look

  
I quickly swerved my body around people in my way as I rushed and jumped onto the back of the standing figure. I wrap my hands to cover his eyes before speaking, "Guess who, if you guess right then I owe you two butter beers this Saturday."  
  
"Honestly woman, you'd think after 2 days you would know I'm Fred." The voice chuckled, causing embarrassment to claim me as I slid down his back.  
  
The moment my feet returned to the ground, I found the happiness that filled my body was replace by embarrassment that must have turned my entire face red because once Fred looked at me front on, his chuckles turned into bent-over laughter that revealed Lee sitting at the desk covering his gut-wrenching intoxicating laugh with his face on the table. Over the laughing between the two laughing idiots and Lees' fist banging on the table, Professor Sprout asked the class to find a seat.  
  
I found the closest chair and reached out to pull the seat back but a freckled hand reached out the seat. Following the arm up to the body it's connected to, I found Fred with his flushed face and sorry eyes switching between me and the chair. I sat down in the chair with him sitting down in the one next to me.  
  
For some reason, I thought this class would have been easy but I should have known once I saw two-thirds of the troublesome trio that this class was going to be anything but a breeze. Just as Sprouts got on to the topic of the plants we will be learning about this year, Fred tugged my sleeve away from my note-taking.  
  
I turned to Fred and I found it very interesting. Finally looking at him up close I found noticed a few things that I never saw before like his shorter face and smaller chin. His eyes also seemed more excited than Georges but other than that, Fred and George are definitely identical twins.  
  
"Hey Marlowe, I'm sorry about laughing at you before. If it makes you feel any better, our parents can't even tell us apart." His whispers felt sincere as he apologized to me and his eyes flashed between me and the front of the room.  
  
I gave the boy and kind smile and took a moment to breathe him in. I'm not close with any of the other Weasleys but based on the twins alone, they must be quite nice which is definitely not how any of the other pureblood families would describe them. "Thanks, Fred," I assured him and turned back to my notes.  
  
Fred must have wanted to do more than apologize because he pulled on my attention and jumper sleeve once more. Turning back I saw a rare serious face upon the boy, his whispers only seemed to support the look. "I'm sorry to bother you Marlowe but I have a silly question, what did you mean about owing a butterbeer to George?"  
  
"Oh, you heard that part." I giggled, feeling a blush grow across my face.  
  
"A little hard to when you yelled it into my ear." He laughed looking back at the Professor, watching out for our conversation.  
  
I looked down to my lap to hide my warm face hoping Fred didn't notice and take it all in the wrong context. "It's really nothing, your brother just helped me out a lot with barely even knowing me and I just wanted to thank him." I looked back up at Fred who's serious face has been replaced by a big grin at least from what I could tell looking at his side profile. A fear popped into my mind and I grabbed his arm with both my hands causing him a startle. "Oh, don't take it the wrong way Fred, it's only in a friendly way. You see I just got dumped and -"  
  
Fred cut me off, placing his hands on mine which I had been tightening around his forarm, most likely hurting him. "Wow Pucey, you're quite strong, thankfully you're a keeper and not a beater." A shy laugh slipped from his lips as he sat up straight in his chair returning back to his note-taking and our shared silence.  
  
As the class went on Fred and I kept our peace but every few minutes I would catch Lee trying to communicate with Fred from a few seats over. Waving his arms, scream whispering, and even sending charmed paper planes but I just chose to ignore him.  
  
At the end of class, Sprout dismisses as and I stand to gather my items when Lee and Fred linger next to me. Lee chooses to speak up with "Can we walk you to your next class Marlowe."  
  
"Sure," I replied to the two. "As long as it's not out of your way I'm going to heading to Defence against the Dark arts with Moody."  
  
The boys looked at each other with smirks and turned to me in a synchronized fashion with a "perfect" in unison.  
  
Finding their actions a bit strange, I finished grabbing my items of the table and the 3 of us make our way to the next class. Once we made it into the main corridor I heard the boys whispering to one another deciding who is going to ask me whatever they needed to and I guess Fred lost because He spoke up to me.  
  
"So Marlowe, will you be joining us for another meal in the great hall any time soon?" He said in a nonchalant tone.  
"Maybe, but I don't want my fellow snakes to think I'm becoming a Griffiondork." I chuckled to myself.  
  
Lee faked laughed at my joke and Fred tried to cover it up. "Well, you are perfectly welcome to join us anytime. Anyways I was wondering if you could do me a favor."  
  
My feet stop in fear. What favor could Fred Weasley possibly need from me, a Slytherin who 48 hours ago would have just walked past him or made a comment about how we were gonna win the next quidditch game? "Depends," I muster up my curiosity, "what's the favor?"  
  
With a devilish grin and Lee behind him with a somewhat evil smirk, something had to be going on. "You have to agree before I tell you," he winked.  
  
"Oi, give me one good reason to agree to a favor from a guy who I've had nothing to do with since we were eleven. One reason and I'll agree."  
  
Lee stood on his tiptoes to whisper into Freds' ear whose devilish grin only grew bigger with a laugh escaping. "Okay Marlowe, please do me this favor and I'll lend you a few products to get back at Cedric."  
  
"How'd you know about-" my heart froze for a moment."  
  
"I think you forgot, you ran into me, darling."  
  
As exciting as the deal sounded, my heart still ached to hear his name but seeing as only the quidditch team knew about us, they probably wouldn't mind anyway. My heart also started to ache because I don't know what Fred heard while outside the dressing room. Putting my hand out, and turning my head so he couldn't tell that I was slightly embarrassed, I said the only words I needed from myself, "You've got yourself a deal Weasley.  
  
As Fred shook my hand, Lee started jumping up and down and did a funny little dance that I only ever saw him from up at the announcers' box when Griffindor won.  
  
Lee had broken off to catch up with someone but Fred and I resumed our walk to my class when Fred began reviewing the favor with me. "Since you are already planning on taking him to get butterbeer this weekend, I was wondering if you could actually make plans with George for that whole day."  
  
My feet kept moving alongside Fred nut they slowed down. "Why do you want me to spend Saturday with George?"  
  
Fred quickly hooked arms with me and explained his side of the situation. "Well, you see, I have a date on Saturday and Lee will be bothering Magonagall all day as he tries to convince her to let him do the announcing for the tri-wizard tournament. George will not admit it but he hates being alone and since you already have plans with him, he won't suspect anything. I'm just trying to make sure my brother isn't alone all day."  
  
Looking up at Fred, I couldn't help but understand the pain that he was trying to avoid having his brother feel. I would do anything for Adrian if I wasn't still mad at him but he knows I would do anything for him. "Sure Fred, I'd love to steal your brother on Saturday."  
  
Our conversation arrived at the perfect time as we found ourselves outside the class. Fred quickly squeezed my shoulder in a thankful manner and turned to sit at a table next to Lee. Walking away from the two I found a pair of single seats and went over to claim one. Setting out my parchment and quill, I felt the chair next to me pull out and a familiar face sitting in it. "Hello, George."  
  
"Hi Mars, how are you on this lovely morning." He grinned pulling out his class items.  
  
Hearing the name roll off his lips felt new. Everyone had called me "Mari" or "Marlowe" but never anything creative. His name for me felt like a fresh breeze on a sunny morning and I couldn't help but feel a smile tug at my lips. I quickly grabbed his arm to get his attention. "My day is wonderful Georgie. I was wondering since I owe you a butterbeer this weekend, would you like to hang out all day?" As soon as the words left my grip, Fred appeared behind his twin, silently throwing his hands up awaiting his brothers' response.  
  
I thought he would have responded right away but the smile on his lips evaporated and left me feeling confused or like I stepped over a boundary. After moments that dragged on, I turned forward and tried to keep my face growing red with embarrassment. Fred must have scensed the awkwardnaess based of my face and the quietnees that encompassed my table so he waltzed away to Lee.  
  
Moody quickly started class and once he turned his back to write on the board but my hand lacked the motivation to write as my mind scattered to find something easier to think about. I tried to ignore the boy next to me as he scribbled his notes. I tried to ignore the boy who in just a few days I considered as good of a friend as Draco or Lydia. I tried to ignore that I just ruined a friendship by making things awkward.  
  
The only thing that my mind didn't have to force itself to try and think about was the hand that landed on my hand that rested on my lap. I didn't have to think about how he lightly turned my fist to face up. I didn't have to think about the parchment that he lightly tucked into my palm. I didn't have to think about how he returned my fist face down on my leg or how his hand grazed mine. I didn't have to think about any of this but I did.  
  
I slowly brought my arms up to the table in a way to not cause suspicion of what's going on. We are only sitting together as friends, we are only passing notes as friends. We are only friends and I don't need anyone to think otherwise.  
  
My fingers slowly unfold the slightly crumbled parchment as I do my best to stay as quiet as the room is when George grabs my hand to stop me from my actions. I turn to my table partner and his face has gone pale as he stares up at Moody and what is currently written on the board.  
  
I follow George's line of sight to find letters written in scribbles across the board, _Unforgivable Curses._ My jaw doesn't begin to drop until Moody asks us what the curses are. Moody is uneven and all over the place with his tone as he asks us the curses and he seems a little too excited about the topic.  
  
I watch as Alicia and Angelina who are sitting in front of me look at each other with slight fear but Alicia shakily raises her hand. Once Moody calls her name, the girl who is so confident in her words and actions from what I've seen over the years; is almost in tears just saying the words "imperious curse" her voice shaking as if she will be under the curse just by uttering the words.  
  
Moody started talking to himself, his voice seems more full as if he was enjoying the worry and fear that Alicia displayed. He turned to the containers of animals behind him and walks up and down the row and continued his whispering like he was a dementor in Azkaban choosing his next soul for the taking from prisoners. He stops in front of a container and turns around to show us his specimen, his victim, a spider about the side of a crystal ball and looked like the ones that were all over the castle during fourth-year.  
  
Moody then drew his wand and used the imperious curse upon the poor defenseless creature and he forced it to submerge itself into a pitcher of water and then dance and jump from table to table. Moody smiled with each forceful action as a smile grew across his scared plump face.  
  
Moodys' eyes only break away from the creature to move on asking for another curse. Vaisley raises his hand with vulgar to offer the cruciatus curse and even though I could only see the boys' back, I could tell the bully was smiling, looking forward to the pain that he is about to watch...no... _enjoy._  
  
Moody's grin became toothy as the excitement built up for him and he began licking his bottom lip, giving me deja vu that I couldn't place my finger on. The spider under his control was then put in front of the board for us all to watch its body shrivel and stretch in the pain of the curse caused by our professor.  
  
I feel my body pull on Georges' hand and wrap my body around his arm, subtly reading myself to hide from the last curse. Moody must have spotted my actions as he called on me to give the last curse. His request caused pain to begin bubbling in my body as my heart raced and tears began forming. George wrapped his hand into one of mine as I squeezed his arm tighter with every beat my heart tore into my body and he decided to take the job from me.  
  
"Professor, the last curse is the killing curse." Georges' voice seemed weak, weaker than I felt but I watched as he grew pale, pale from the thought of fear in having to watch the death of the spider. His weak voice didn't die yet but spoke up after looking around the room finding the uncomfortable feeling and yearning to run away lingering in the air around the students. "Professor, I think we all get it and I think all of us students understand what the curse entails so please just release the spider."  
  
Mooney blank stares at the knight of the classroom but we can all tell from the look on his face that George's words only made him crave the spell more. George quickly pulls his arm out of my grip and pushes my face into his neck to protect me from the sight at the front of the class.  
  
The smell of gunpowder, freshly cut grass, and oranges as the sounds of muffled screams and quiet cries mix together with Georges' pulse in my ears. I can feel George wince at what happened at the front of the classroom along with his heart racing against my hand that must have found his chest in my moment of weakness. I wanted to turn and see if it was over but from the feeling of Georges' hand lightly playing with my hair and comforting me, I knew this was also helping him cope with what he must have just watched.  
  
After moments of silence, a single voice breaks the boundary, and yet they are also the one who caused it. "Class is dismissed."  



End file.
